If you work in retail, fast food or pharmacy and you're aged 18 to 20, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) has locked in a staged pay rise that will lift your hourly rate closer to the full adult wage by July 2029. The catch is a six-month service rule that resets entirely when you change employers, and with the first increase landing from 1 December 2026, knowing exactly where you stand before you hand in your notice could be worth real money.

Junior pay rates under the General Retail Award, the Fast Food Award and the Pharmacy Award are moving towards the full adult rate over three years for workers aged 18 to 20. The higher percentages only apply once you have more than six months' service with your current employer, and time banked at a previous employer in the same industry does not carry over. Here's what changes, when, and what to check before you move on.

What changes from 1 December 2026

The transition schedule flows from the FWC's junior rates case, formally listed as AM2024/24, and the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has published the full timetable. Three awards and specific roles are covered:

• General Retail Award (retail employees at levels 1 to 3)
• Fast Food Award (all fast food employees)
• Pharmacy Award (pharmacy assistants at levels 1 and 2)

On timing, the FWO's guidance, refreshed on 2 November, is precise. The first pay rate increase applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 December 2026. In practice, if your pay cycle doesn't open exactly on 1 December, the higher rate kicks in from the first complete pay period that begins after that date, which means your first bigger payslip might arrive a week or two later than you'd expect.

One group sees no change at all. The FWO has confirmed there are no changes to minimum pay rates for employees under the age of 18. If you're 17 or younger, the existing junior rate structure stays put.

The six-month rule: why switching employers resets the clock

Workers with six months' service or less stay on the existing junior rates throughout the transition: 70% of the adult rate at 18, 80% at 19 and 90% at 20. The higher percentages in the new schedule only apply once you cross the six-month threshold with your current employer.

This is the detail most likely to catch workers off guard. Six months at one fast food outlet counts for nothing when you move to another outlet covered by the same award. The FWO's position is direct: service with different employers in the same industry does not count towards the increase of junior rates.

That gap grows as the schedule progresses. From 1 July 2028, an 18-year-old on the General Retail Award or the Fast Food Award with more than six months' service will be on 90% of the adult rate, while a newly hired 18-year-old working the same shift sits on 70% until they hit their own six-month mark.

There is one exception worth knowing. In a transfer of business, where the enterprise you work for is sold and you move across to the new owner, the FWO says employment with the old employer counts towards the six-month qualifying period with the new employer. If your workplace is changing hands rather than you actively choosing to leave, your existing service should carry across.

Workers covered by the General Retail Award, the Fast Food Award and the Pharmacy Award are predominantly represented by the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA), Australia's largest retail and fast food union. If you're a member and unsure which classification applies to your role, your SDA delegate can help you read the award coverage clause correctly.

How your rate climbs, age by age

Under the General Retail Award and the Fast Food Award, rates rise by five percentage points on each 1 July and 1 December until they reach the full adult rate. For an 18-year-old with more than six months' service, the schedule looks like this:

• 75% from 1 December 2026
• 80% from 1 July 2027
• 85% from 1 December 2027
• 90% from 1 July 2028
• 95% from 1 December 2028
• 100% from 1 July 2029

Older workers in the same awards reach the full rate sooner:

• 19-year-olds (Retail and Fast Food Awards): 85% from 1 December 2026, reaching the full adult rate from 1 July 2028.
• 20-year-olds on the Fast Food Award: 95% from 1 December 2026, then the full adult rate from 1 July 2027.
• 20-year-olds on the General Retail Award: entitled to the full adult rate after six months with their employer, a rule retail has applied at this age since 2014.
• 18-year-old pharmacy assistants (Pharmacy Award): increases are less frequent, moving from 75% to 85% from 1 July 2027, then 95% from 1 July 2028, and the full adult rate from 1 July 2029.

The end point is consistent across all three awards. From 1 July 2029, employees aged over 18 with more than six months' service with their employer are entitled to the full adult rate for their classification.

Before you switch jobs: what to check

None of this locks you in place. It means a job move from December 2026 onwards has a price tag you can actually calculate before you sign anything. Run through these points first:

• Count your months. Check your start date on your contract or first payslip. If you're at five months, staying a few more weeks puts you on the higher percentage at your current workplace before you'd need to earn it again somewhere new.
• Compare the real hourly difference. A new employer covered by the same award will start you on the base junior rate for six months. Weigh extra shifts, a better roster or above-award pay against the percentage you'd be giving up.
• Ask which award the new role sits under. The schedule above applies only to the three awards and the specific classifications listed. A job covered by a different Modern Award follows that award's own rules on junior pay, so confirm coverage before you compare rates.
• Ask whether it's a transfer of business. If your workplace is changing owners rather than you choosing to leave, your existing service should carry across to the new employer under the FWO's transfer-of-business guidance.
• Use it in your pay conversation. Award rates are minimums under the Fair Work Act 2009. If a new employer genuinely wants you, it's reasonable to ask whether they'll pay above the junior rate during your first six months to offset what you'd lose by resetting the clock.
• Look at the workplace, not just the wage. If six months is now the price of entry at every new employer, checking verified employee reviews before you apply helps you pick somewhere you'd actually want to stay long enough to benefit.

If your pay doesn't go up when it should

Payroll systems don't always update on time, and the December 2026 changeover will be the first test of how well employers in retail, fast food and pharmacy have read the FWO's transition timetable. The FWO has refreshed its Pay and Conditions Tool and the pay guides for all three awards, so you can check the rate that applies to your age, level and length of service.

If you have more than six months' service and your first full pay period starting on or after 1 December 2026 still shows the old junior percentage, raise it with your manager or payroll in writing. Include your start date and reference the relevant FWO pay guide for your award. Keep a copy of that message.

If the issue isn't resolved, the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) is the federal body responsible for enforcing award pay rates in Australia. You can lodge an online enquiry or request an investigation through the FWO's website. The FWO has enforcement powers under the Fair Work Act 2009 and can recover unpaid amounts on your behalf.

A better role, more shifts or a manager who treats you well can be worth more than a five-point pay step, so moving jobs can still be the right call. The difference from December is that you can make that move with the numbers in front of you: check your service date, check the award, and compare both rates before you sign.